The Tournament of Souls
by Techgoddess420
Summary: There is another Tournament to attend to. Much to everyone's chagrin and regret. But it isn't all bad, is it? With a few familiar faces and a few new ones to greet the group the team imbarks on their newest mission.
1. Chapter 1

The Tournament of Souls

Chapter I

"You've been requested…" Started Koenma as he looked at the entire team, crowded into his office, girls and all. "To go to the Tournament of Souls…" Koenma finished.

"WHAT!" Was heard all the way though the Reikai. Everyone had yelled, even Yukina. The only one who hadn't said anything was Hiei. He didn't care. But he had heard about the Tournament of Souls. It was supposed to be worse than the Dark Tournament. He wondered who had requested it.

"I told you… you were REQUESTED… I have no say over that… Besides… my Father authorized it. You have to go. Now… you need a team of five, so it shouldn't be too hard…" Koenma told them.

"Great, we have five people. But why the hell do we have to go to another Tournament?" Asked Genkai.

"You'll do it?" Asked Yusuke.

"Of course I'll do it… you'll need my help…" Genkai told them.

"Great, we need a good Human on the team. Yusuke and Kurama don't count." Hiei said with a deadly smirk. He was happy that Genkai was coming to the Tournament, he had always liked her.

"Hey, what about me!" Kewabara yelled.

"What? Is someone talking to me?" Hiei asked Yusuke who was standing to his left.

"You stupid TWERP!" Kewabara yelled as he launched at Hiei. Hiei dodged every attack aimed at him. After Kewabara's twenty eighth attempt to hit Hiei the annoyed Hi-Koorime grabbed Kewabara's wrist and jerked it violently behind Kewabara's back, bringing Kewabara to his knees.

"Look, now I'm taller than him. I guess that make's you the Twerp now." He added to Kewabara. He absolutely despised when Kewabara called him Twerp and he was finally going to get his say in it. Thankfully.

"I'm glad to know that you're all getting along." Koenma said with a glare at Hiei. "Let Kewabara up."

"That's not really fair." Yusuke said. "Kewabara teases him all the time and he has yet to retaliate to Kewabara's attacks. Let him have his fun, it's not like he'll do any permanent damage to Kewabara, save his ego for being taken down by Hiei who's almost a full foot and a half smaller than him." Yusuke said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Oh, but you're hurting him." Botan said to Hiei.

"Am I now?" He asked. "Although my Human Anatomy is rusty I still know that this doesn't hurt too badly. He'll be fine within the next few hours. Now, if I brought the arm in any direction from here it would be very painful, and I could possibly dislocate his shoulder. But I won't do that because if I don't dislocate it I always have the hope that he'll cut off his own head with that stupid sword of his. So what's the point of hurting him too much when he'll eventually cut himself to ribbons?" Hiei said with a deadly smirk.

"You really do have some of the most twisted logic in the entire world." Kewabara said, gritting his teeth against the pain in his shoulder.

"What was that?" Hiei said as he cocked his head towards Kewabara and moved Kewabara's hand a little higher up his back.

"Nothing." Kewabara grit out.

"Really? And here I was so sure that you were trying to tell me something." Hiei said with a shrug. "Not that I really care, mind you." He added.

"Hiei… You have to let go of him now." Yusuke said with a sigh. "We need that arm." He added to Hiei. Hiei nodded to him and released Kewabara and teleported over to stand next to Yusuke.

"Very nice. No permanent damage. The arm doesn't even look swollen. How'd you manage to learn how to do that?" Genkai said with a nod as she looked over Kewabara's arm.

"I was raised amongst cutthroats. You pick up a few things." Hiei said with a shrug and a smirk.

"Perfectly executed attack as well. No fumbling like most do. And you put just enough strength into it that it wouldn't be evident by just looking at it." Genkai noted.

"I became very good at my craft." Hiei said as he leaned up against the wall, one leg on the floor, one on the wall, his arms crossed against his chest.

"Very good? Are you kidding me? That hurt like a bitch!" Kewabara said.

"Baka." Hiei hissed under his breath.

"Do you want to hear specifics about this Tournament, or are you just going to stand around and banter back and fourth the entire time." Koenma asked as he glared at Hiei. "And no torturing and or hurting people in my office!" He added.

"And what make's you think that I'll listen to you?" Hiei asked as he cocked an eyebrow at Koenma. Koenma's face got red as he glared at Hiei's impassive face.

"Fine Koenma… give us specifics. But make it quick. I'm bored with this meeting already. You never have anything fun to do…" Said Yusuke as he leaned against a wall a few feet away from Hiei.

"The Tournament starts in five months. I suggest that you start training soon." Koenma told them. "It's one of the more… bloody of the Tournaments. Open to all different types of beings. That good enough for you?"

"Perfect… How are we going to train for this bitch guys?" Yusuke asked as he looked between Kurama, who had an amused look in his eyes, Kewabara, who was rubbing his shoulder, Genkai, who was still examining Kewabara's shoulder with interest, and Hiei who was smirking.

"I don't particularly care… how do you want to do it?" Asked Kurama as he cocked his head to the side and fixed Yusuke with a quizzical look.

"I don't know. Hey, Hiei, you gonna be around?" Asked Yusuke.

"Yes." Hiei said.

"Really?" Yusuke asked. "That's new." He added.

"Yes, really."

"Why?" Asked Kewabara. "Shouldn't you be with that woman that you're always with?" He added as he glared at Hiei.

"She gave me leave for half a year so I didn't train the people in Alric to death." Hiei said with a deadly smirk. "She was fine with it when I only trained with her, but then I started training all of the guard and then all of the people in the castle." Hiei added at Yusuke's quizzical look.

"Oh…" Kewabara said. "I'm not training with him again." He added.

"Fine… You don't have to train with Hiei. We wouldn't want to bruise your ego any more than it is already anyway." Yusuke said.

"HEY!" Kewabara said as he jumped up and started towards Yusuke. Yusuke smirked at him but Kewabara didn't stop his advance on the leader of the Reikai Tentei. Kewabara stepped forward and tripped over Hiei's outstretched leg, finally skidding to a halt in front of Yusuke.

"That's not fair. You two teamed up on me!" Kewabara said as he got up.

"No, Yusuke's learned how to use his surrounding's to his advantage. You are just a moron, with absolutely no strategic analysis ability to speak of." Hiei said with a smirk.

"How about this…" Genkai started. "We'll all train together. The five of us, near the Temple so you can get food and healing when you need it." Said Genkai. "Courtesy of Yukina over there." She added as she nodded to Yukina. "We'll do advanced training; modify it a little for all of you Demons. That way everyone's together and we can all do specific training for what we need but still do group training on things that we all need." Genkai added.

"I agree with Genkai's idea." Kurama offered. "It's as good as any." He added.

"So there it is. We're all training together at the temple? Hiei, Kewabara, you two are okay with that?" Asked Yusuke.

"It's fine with me, Urameshi." Kewabara said with a nod.

"How about you?" Yusuke asked as he turned to Hiei.

Hiei looked up at Yusuke and shrugged. "Might as well. I've nothing better to do. Besides, training with Genkai's always fun." He added with a smirk as he stood up straight.

"Okay. So, there we go. Training at Genkai's Temple it is." Yusuke announced. "Everyone's okay with it, which is totally weird because usually only half of us agree at any given time. Five months, right?" Yusuke asked Koenma.

"Yes, Yusuke. Five months." Koenma said.

"Great." Yusuke announced with a grin. "Let's get started." He added as he walked out of Koenma's office.

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Okay, so there's the story. I won't update until I get at least a review or two...


	2. Chapter 2

The Tournament of Souls

Chapter II

Hiei was sitting in the Temple four months later. Training had been going great. He was impressed more and more by Yusuke and Kurama's Power levels. They just kept on increasing. And although grudgingly he had to admit that Kewabara wasn't doing too badly either.

Although, as it was Kewabara was by far the weakest of the group. But Genkai refused to put him on a different set of training than Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama because he was Human. It was only right that she kept him on that track, she justified, because she was doing the same training as Hiei, Yusuke and Kurama. So Kewabara, who was a good fifty years younger than her, should be able to do it as well. They had done everything, all of them with some form of weighted clothes on and Genkai's Spirit Cuffs.

The combination was hard to deal with at the beginning, even for Hiei who had been training with weighted clothes since he was a child. And the weight of the clothes and the intensity of the Spirit Cuffs fluctuated in response to the growth of the person's strength and Spirit Energy. As it was Hiei was wearing over a ton of weight in just his scarf alone.

Of course, Hiei had the highest numbers out of everyone. He was at the point where the Spirit Cuffs had to keep his Energy completely bound, even though he was still expected to make an aura around him, a very strenuous task, and he wore over three tons of weight on him. Yusuke was the next with twenty five percent of his Energy allowed and two tons of weight. Kurama had twenty five percent of his Energy allowed and a ton of weight on him. And Kewabara was by far the weakest with only twenty five percent of his Energy bound and an eighth of a ton of weight on him. Although he was told that that was very good for a Human.

The rest of the team was on a small break, at least according to them. No one was at the Temple at least. Genkai was away for the day with an old friend who had insisted on her help. So everyone on the team was taking the day off. They were all together, out having a good time. At least according to Yusuke. Hiei didn't want to go with them.

So Hiei was waiting. He had made himself some tea, made food when he was hungry, cut wood for the fire, an activity that the girls, Youko, and Yusuke liked to watch for reasons that were beyond him, Genkai was running low anyway, and read. Although he wasn't a very big supporter of anything Ningen he had found that some books were actually able to be tolerated.

But he was sick of sitting and waiting for everyone to come back. He was almost considering going and finding them. But that would be proving that he missed their company. So he decided that it would be best to not do that. It was an admission of weakness in his book. And he definitely wouldn't admit something like that.

Hiei sat bolt up when he sensed Mukuro coming. He ran out to meet her. He was immediately engulfed in a hug from the odd Lord of Makai. He actually cracked a smile at her. "Mukuro…" He acknowledged.

"Hiei… I heard you were entering the Tournament of Souls. Care to tell me more about it?" Asked Mukuro.

"Sure, come on in. I doubt that Genkai would mind." Hiei said as he led Mukuro into Genkai's Temple. He put water on to boil and then sat down with her on the couch.

"So, tell me about the rest of the team. How's everyone been since last I heard?" Mukuro asked as she looked at Hiei with a smile.

"Hmm… Well everyone's been fine…" Hiei started. He told Mukuro about the rest of the team. He didn't get into too many specifics. But he told her what she wanted to know. When asked he told her about the training that he was doing as well.

He sat with her as they had tea. He in turn was told of what was happening in the Makai. He was happy to hear about what had been happening. And in general happy to see Mukuro again. He really did care for her. And she was a good person. They were friends.

Hiei was listening to Mukuro talk when he felt the approach of the rest of the gang. He didn't move, but he did tell Mukuro that they were coming. She had laughed at that, and told him that she knew perfectly well that they were coming. She could sense them just as well as he could. He then told her which Energy was which. She smiled and nodded her agreement that she hadn't known that about some of the group.

Genkai burst through the door a smile on her face, that is, until she saw Mukuro. She faltered slightly at the odd scene in front of her. Hiei was sitting right next to a woman. The woman half leaning on him, her body half flushed with his on one side, her head next to his. She cocked an eyebrow at Hiei after a moment of hesitation. "I leave for a few hours and you've already replaced me… I'm hurt…" Genkai said in fake indignation.

She was in her younger form, something she stayed in more and more often. She always paid special attention to Hiei when she was in this form. It was explained to him that that form reacted totally different than her older form to different stimuli. Although she had the knowledge of her older form she still acted like a twenty year old woman instead of the eighty year old woman she really was.

Mukuro cocked an eyebrow at the new faces who entered the room. She recognized Yusuke, Kurama, and Yukina, the last from a picture that Hiei had shown her. But everyone else was just a group of people she didn't know. "I take it you're the rest of the team. It's nice to meet you." Mukuro said with a nod. "Good to see you again…" She added as she looked at Yusuke and Kurama. "It's been too long." She added.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Kewabara as he glared at Mukuro slightly. He, of course, didn't know that it was Mukuro. He had heard stories about her before, but had never met her in person. As far as he knew, she was just some random powerful Demon. "And how do you know them?" He asked as he nodded to Kurama and Yusuke.

"I'm here talking to Hiei. And if the 'them' you're referring to is Yusuke and Kurama I know them because Yusuke's a Lord of Makai and Kurama and I had dealings previously." Mukuro said with a smile.

"And how do you know Hiei?" Asked Kewabara as his half glare at Mukuro persisted.

"I know Hiei because we've been friends for a few years." Mukuro said with a small chuckle at the Human glaring at her.

"Oh… But then why don't I know anything about you?" Asked Kewabara as he faltered slightly.

"Dolt…" Hiei hissed. "This is Mukuro…" Hiei said as he glared at Kewabara. All activity in the room by everyone who didn't know Mukuro stopped. Everyone's head shot up and stared at Mukuro and Hiei in wonder.

"M-Mukuro?" Asked Keiko.

"That's me…" Mukuro said with a smile and a small laugh.

"Oh… I-" Started Keiko.

"Keiko…" Mukuro said with a smile. "Yes, I know… Hiei's told me." She said as she chuckled slightly at the odd girl.

"What? But how…" Asked Botan.

"It's a remarkable thing, I know. But Hiei really does talk to me every once and a while. He may not be the most talkative person in the world. But he does relay certain things about people he knows to me." Mukuro said with a beautiful laugh. "Trust me; I know all of you to some extent. Of course, I have to ask specific questions to get anything more than a 'Hn' out of him, but no one's perfect." Mukuro said with a large smile.

"What put you in a good mood?" Asked Koenma as he looked at Mukuro questioningly. "I thought that you were going to rip my head off earlier." He added.

"Well I did just spend the entire afternoon having a wonderful conversation with Hiei in the middle of the Ningenkai with no interruptions…" Mukuro said.

Kurama laughed slightly. "Yes, you're conversations with Hiei are something of legend in the Makai…" He said. Almost everyone cocked an eyebrow at Hiei and Mukuro at that statement.

"We end up in a better mood. And we end up not killing as many annoying things because of it." Mukuro said with a smile at the quizzical looks. "Everyone's happier when we're spotted together. It means that we're either to busy talking to each other to go and kill someone or we're lenient because we want to go and talk to the other instead of having to listen to cases." Kurama smiled at Hiei and Mukuro. They were a cute couple. They were good for each other.

"You simply must stay for dinner." Yukina said with a smile. Would you like anything specific?" She added. It wasn't every day that she got to cook for someone that Hiei was so close to. It was nice to see him smiling for once. And it was Mukuro after all. She had saved Hiei's life; she was a good person in her book.

"I'm good with anything Yukina…" Mukuro said. "If you want to make it I'll eat it." She added. Yukina nodded and rushed to start some food.

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There we go, I want at least a review or two or else I won't update the story


	3. Chapter 3

The Tournament of Souls

Chapter III

"Kurama…" Said Yusuke later that night. He was sitting with the rest of the gang. Save Hiei who was out with Mukuro. "We have a question…" He added at Kurama's sceptical look.

"I assume that when you say 'we' you mean everyone else that's here…" Kurama said wit ha smile. "What is it?"

"Well… What's the deal between Hiei and Mukuro? I mean… What kind of relationship do they have?" Yusuke asked. "You know him the best out of all of us. What's up between those two?"

"As far as I know they're just Lord and Heir. Although there has been speculation for a while as to what exactly their relationship is. No one's ever been able to talk to Hiei like Mukuro does and it's the same the other way. They're… close. But as to how close I don't exactly know. But surely you remember the fight between the two of them in the Makai Tournament. That caused quite a buzz amongst all the Demons who heard about it."

"What happened during the Tournament?" Asked Kewabara.

"Well to understand it you'd have to know about Mukuro's past and more about Hiei's Dragon of the Darkness Flame." Kurama started. "Mukuro was a slave for a good part of her young life. She, until recently, had the shackle to prove it. No matter what she did she couldn't get it off. It was impossible to remove. Hiei's Dragon is linked to his emotions. If he doesn't want to kill someone then the Dragon won't kill them." Kurama explained.

"Okay… So what happened?" Asked Keiko.

"Hiei used the Dragon of the Darkness Flame against her. But the attack didn't kill her like most thought it would. Mukuro survived no worse for wear." Kurama told the group. "And Hiei ended up forfeited the match to her…"

"WHAT!!!" Exclaimed everyone save Koenma, Botan, and Yusuke.

"He forfeited the match to her, but that wasn't it. His attack broke the shackle that was on her wrist… What was even more astonishing in the eyes of the Demons was that Hiei stumbled over to her and she caught him so he didn't fall. Something that opponents don't do for each other with any regularity, especially when you're opponent is awake as Hiei was. It proved that she trusted him, in short. And he must care for her because he didn't kill her with the Dragon of the Darkness Flame." Kurama explained.

"I didn't know that…" Yukina said as she looked out the window for a few seconds. "But that doesn't really explain what kind of relationship they have. We know that they trust each other. But that doesn't mean that they have any other kind of relationship besides what has always been claimed between them. Lord and Heir. Family in a sense…"

"I know… All of the Makai wants to know what their relationship turns out to be. Mukuro is the only person who has an Heir who isn't family. Yomi has Chura, but that's his legitimate son, so to speak. But Mukuro pretty much adopted Hiei. A move that most Demon's wouldn't have even thought of, much less accepted. And it's even worse with the shadow of Hiei's parentage over his head." Kurama explained. "Although no one really knows exactly who Hiei's father is besides Hiei, and possibly Mukuro." Kurama added.

"Why does everyone care?" Asked Kewabara.

"Because of their situation. They're close, as you could see whenever they were together. They do everything together. And everyone knows that they genuinely care for each other. Most even think that they love each other. And if that's the case then the majority of the Makai believes that they'll become or already are Lovers. They could possibly become Mates in they eyes of a good part of the Makai. Most already believe it to be the case." Was Kurama's answer.

"But wouldn't that be weird?" Asked Keiko. "I mean… He's her Heir. That's the same thing as a son…" She added.

"Some think that the title of Heir is only a cover so that there's not any questions raised when they spend enormous amounts of time holed up together in a castle with only a few trusted Demons around. It's one of the largest gossip points in the Makai. And everyone has an opinion. And as it is Mukuro and Hiei aren't talking about it. Which makes everyone think that they have a different relationship than they let on." Kurama said as he looked out of the window. "But as it is we'll never know the exact relationship between them until one of them tells us about it."

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Hiei was sitting against a tree in the middle of one of the many forests in the Makai. He had been talking to Mukuro when they had stopped. It was well into the evening in the Makai and Mukuro had been up all day, the day before, and even the day before that. Hiei, who had lightly dozed during the morning hours, had stopped with her. They were a few miles from her nearest castle, but she didn't want to have to drag him all the way there. So they stopped in a large clearing that Hiei frequented.

Mukuro was talking lightly. She was near ready to drop and Hiei knew it. It was why he had sat down. Mukuro seemed to jar herself awake slightly. "Mukuro…" Hiei said with a smile as he grabbed Mukuro's waist. He dragged her down next to him. Before he knew it Mukuro's head was on his lap. Her body curled up against his warm body.

Hiei smirked. "Mukuro…" He said. He dragged her up so her head was resting against his chest. Her body moved against his, making her half sitting, half laying, on Hiei's lap.

Hiei rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her strong body. He warmed the area around his body for her and she snuggled in closer to him if possible. Hiei just shook his head. "You know… People are already talking about us. What would we do if someone found us like this?" Asked Hiei in Mukuro's ear.

"Kill them…" Mukuro suggested sleepily. "Besides… It's not like we went and had sex or anything…" Mukuro said as she yawned. "You're keeping me company…" Mukuro added. "You were walking me home… But I got tired and we decided to stop…"

"I could teleport you to your closest castle. It's not that far away." Hiei told her.

"But then you'd go back to the Ningenkai and I wouldn't get to see you again until you came back to me or I go to find you." Mukuro murmured.

Hiei smirked at that comment. "I'll stay with you if you want…" Hiei said. "For the night." He added. "I know how much you hate the fact that I'm away for so long and so often."

"You can't fool me Hiei…" Mukuro said with a sigh which turned into a yawn. "You'll stay in the castle. Not with me…"

"I'll stay with you. I promise." Hiei said with a smirk.

"And what of your friends?" Asked Mukuro as she blinked at him sleepily.

"I'll deal with them tomorrow." Hiei said with a shrug.

"You'll really go to bed with me?" Asked Mukuro.

"You say that like I've never slept in the same bed as you…" Hiei said with a smirk.

"But you never suggest it. I have to ask. Or we get beaten bad enough that we only have the energy to get to someone's room. Not two separate rooms. Why the change?"

"No change Mukuro… I know how much you've missed me. And even though if asked I won't suggest it I missed you as well…" Hiei whispered to her. "But we'll have to make a decision fast. You're nearly asleep and I wouldn't want to wake you."

"Take me to the nearest of my castle's Hiei…" Mukuro stated. "I want to sleep in a bed…" She added.

Hiei teleported to the nearest of Mukuro's castles easily. It was only a few miles away and he knew exactly where it was. He ran up to Mukuro's room and made sure to not make any noise when he got there. He knew that even though it seemed like there was no one around a large number of the servants here were still awake.

Hiei laid Mukuro on the bed, making sure to take off her shoes and tunic before taking off his shoes and cloak. He moved into bed and was immediately rewarded by Mukuro moving her body so she'd be more exposed to his warm body. Hiei smiled and pulled Mukuro half onto him.

He waited until Mukuro got situated and then let his mind drift off to sleep. He had to admit, sleeping with Mukuro had long ago stopped being odd. He even liked to stay with her sometimes. Not that they would ever make anything out of it.

They were friends in their minds. He was her Heir and she was the closest thing to a Mother that he had ever had. Although few believed it to be true. Especially when it came to things like this. Hiei would sleep with Mukuro, they did if every once and a while. They would be low on energy or she would ask for him to stay. Sometimes they just talked so much that they ended up sleeping in the same room.

But Hiei knew not to make anything out of it. It was Mukuro after all. His surrogate Mother. And he couldn't even think about having any other relationship with her than he did. It was nearly as crazy a thought as him claiming Yukina as his Mate.

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There we go, next chapter over and done with. Sorry it took so long, but i have loads of work to do and Fanfic went down when I was putting it up.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey all,

Sorry to do this to you, I know I hate it when I read a story that does this. But since you're the ones reading this story I want your input!! I was planning on making this story a HieiYusuke story. But I'm willing to change the story if more people want it a different way.

I'd be willing to do a HieiYusuke story, a HieiYouko story, a HieiKurama story, or all four of them together. Send me a message, private or review if you want, and I'll make sure to take all of your thoughts into consideration.

Remember, if you don't say anything I can't make the story to your liking, so send me something! I'd be willing to do almost any pairing, even the people who want a HieiMukuro story or something of that sort.

Send me a message.

Love and Thanks,

K


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